The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the President Bola Tinubu-led government are once again at loggerheads.
It all started after the Nigeria Police accused accused NLC President Joe Ajaero of financing terrorism.
In fact, Ajaero was invited to appear before the police for questioning.
However, on Thursday, August 29, Ajaero honoured the police invitation.
But guess what?
Ajaero was not alone.
Members of the union stormed the streets to drum support for Ajaero.
It was during this solidarity march at the Labour House, in Abuja that the NLC Secretary General, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja addressed his fellow comrades.
NLC Vs Tinubu
Ugboaja told President Tinubu that the labour union cannot be bent to do the wish of the government.
According to him, Labour leaders had never gone into exile or organised a hijacked protest.
He stated that the current leadership of NLC would not be cowed by the government.
Ugboaja said: “We have never had a rally where a shop was broken into. Has any shop ever been broken into across the Federation?
And since 1978 till date, we have had more than a hundred rallies.
No common incident of a shop being broken into. So comrades, we are not mad people. We are workers. And we cannot begin now to reason upside down.”
Also Read: Joe Ajaero Honours Police Invitation In Company Of Human Rights Lawyer, Falana
“Has any labour leader since 1978 gone on exile? No. Has any labour leader ever gone on exile? No.
No Retreat, No Surrender
“So let them be told, we will not run. Nobody, we be fighting labour out of Nigeria. 50 million cases, 500 charges, we will take it standing. We will not bow before anybody.
We will not. So let it be known. Because we have done our work diligently.
Where we need to say no, we have said no. Where we need to say yes, we have said yes.
Where we need to balance, we have balanced. You cannot bend us. We will adjust appropriately.”
“Therefore, while they felt that we were tough, ordinary people felt we were weak.
Everybody viewed us like the elephant body, depending on what part he is touching.
Government sees Ajaero as a hard nut, ordinary people feel Ajaero is weak.
Where do we stand? So the best you can do is be a trade union leader, and that is what we are. So let’s not be misconstrued.”
